Free 3D Hands Privacy Policy

Effective date: 27/10/2026

1 About this policy

Free 3D Hands Ltd (ABN 69 632 562 291, ACN 632 562 291) designs and makes devices for people with upper-limb differences. Our devices are free, including postage anywhere in the world. We ask recipients to refrain from donating so our support does not feel like an indirect payment arrangement or leave anyone feeling they owe us something in return.

This policy explains how we handle personal information in connection with enquiries, device applications and support, voluntary feedback, donations, communications and our website. It also explains how to ask for access or correction, withdraw permission or raise a privacy concern. We follow the privacy and health-information laws that apply to our activities.

2 Information we collect

The information we need depends on your interaction with us. It may include:

• Your name and contact details, and the messages you send us.
• For a recipient enquiry or application: the recipient’s name, contact details and country; the device requested; and relevant information about their limb difference, needs and possible device suitability, including photographs. Limb-difference details and photographs can be health information.
• If someone acts for a recipient: their name, contact details, relationship to the recipient and information needed to establish their authority.
• For device support and delivery: relevant correspondence and feedback, delivery details and information needed to arrange postage or meet customs requirements.
• For donations: donor details, donation and receipt records, and any communication or public donor-display preferences selected.
• Permission records and any photographs, stories or other material you separately agree we may use publicly.

Payment providers handle information entered into their payment services.

Information associated with website visits and online services is addressed in section 7.

3 How we collect information and your choices

We usually collect information from you when you contact us, complete a form, request support, give feedback, donate or subscribe. Our device expression-of-interest form is hosted by Zoho Forms. We may also receive relevant information from someone you have authorised to act for you or share it with us. We explain any other collection where the law requires this.

We collect only information reasonably necessary for the activity concerned. We collect health information with appropriate consent, unless collection is otherwise required or permitted by law. Before collecting it, we explain why it is needed and how it will be handled. Please provide only information relevant to the request, and only information about someone else that you are authorised to provide.

For children and people who need help making privacy decisions, we consider the person’s understanding and capacity and involve an appropriately authorised parent, guardian or representative where needed. A person’s relationship to a recipient does not, by itself, establish authority to give permission for every use of their information.

You may make a general enquiry anonymously or using a pseudonym where practicable. If necessary information is not provided, we may be unable to assess an application, arrange delivery or provide the requested support. We will explain what is needed and why. Optional feedback, newsletter subscriptions and publicity permission are separate choices.

4 Why we use information

We use relevant information to respond to you, consider whether and when we may be able to help, assess possible device suitability, and arrange any device, delivery or support we agree to provide. We also use information to administer donations and receipts, manage your chosen communications and permissions, deal with requests or complaints, and meet legal obligations.

An enquiry or application does not guarantee a suitable device, acceptance or a timeframe. What we can offer depends on individual needs, our designs and our internal capacity.

We handle information for the purpose explained when it was collected or another lawful purpose. We use or disclose health or other sensitive information for another purpose only if you consent, the new purpose is directly related to the original purpose and you would reasonably expect it, or another lawful exception permits it.

5 Voluntary feedback and photograph permissions

Feedback is entirely voluntary. You do not have to provide feedback or agree to publicity to receive a free device.

We use voluntary feedback to improve our designs. Sharing designs under their applicable open-source licences helps the global maker community make, repair and develop them further. A design licence does not give permission to release a recipient’s personal information. We check material intended for public design releases for identifying details, including photographs, metadata and personalised files, and remove those details unless a specific, lawful permission covers their release.

Before using any photograph, we explain the intended use and obtain permission for that purpose. Permission for an enquiry, assessment or support does not authorise publication or promotion. Simply sending a photograph does not give blanket permission to use it.

We obtain separate permission before public use of photographs, names, stories or other identifiable information. We explain the intended material, purpose and audience, including the channels where it will appear. We record the permission given. We do not treat feedback, an application or a donation as permission for publicity.

You can withdraw permission for future consent-based uses by contacting us. We stop future use or disclosure that relies on the withdrawn permission, including taking reasonable steps to remove relevant material from channels we control. Copies already printed, downloaded or shared by others may not be recoverable. We explain any practical limits when obtaining public-use permission.

6 Sharing information and service providers

We share information only where relevant to the purpose explained to you and allowed by law. Depending on the activity, this can involve:

• People authorised to work on your enquiry, device, delivery or support.
• Service providers used for forms, communications, record storage, website operation, donations or payments. Public-facing services currently include Zoho Forms and Donorbox.
• Postal, courier and customs services where needed to deliver a device.
• Professional advisers or authorities where necessary for lawful advice, reporting, compliance or responding to a legal requirement.
• A person or organisation you have authorised to receive particular information.

We limit the information shared to what is needed and take reasonable steps to ensure providers handle it appropriately. A provider’s own privacy information may also apply to its services; using a provider does not remove our own responsibilities.

A donation does not, by itself, authorise disclosure of a recipient’s information to a donor. Any reporting under an accepted funding arrangement must have an appropriate privacy basis. Public donor recognition is a separate choice from processing a donation.

7 Our website and separate recipient records

We do not store private recipient application, assessment or support records on our website. Our externally hosted forms and other systems used to handle those records are separate from the public website. Recipient photographs and stories approved for public use may appear on our website in accordance with the specific permission given.

The website statement does not mean that visiting the site or using an external form involves no personal-information processing. Website hosting, embedded services and external forms can involve technical information and cookies even when recipient records are held elsewhere. Our enquiry form uses Google reCAPTCHA.

External websites linked from our site have their own privacy practices. Please check the information provided by a service before using it.

8 Overseas handling

Worldwide delivery and the service providers we use may involve information being handled outside Australia. We take the steps required by applicable privacy law before an overseas disclosure, including obtaining any consent required for that disclosure. For health information, applicable safeguards also govern transfers outside Victoria, including to other Australian states or territories.

9 Storage security and retention

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, change or disclosure. No system can be guaranteed completely secure.

We keep information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purpose for which it is held, or to meet applicable legal obligations. The appropriate period depends on the record, including whether it concerns a device, health information, a donation, permission or a complaint. When information is no longer needed and retention is not legally required, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy it or properly de-identify it. A deletion request may be limited by legal recordkeeping requirements.

If we become aware of a privacy incident, we assess it, take appropriate steps to contain and address it, and notify affected people and regulators where the law requires.

10 Newsletters and public donor recognition

We send newsletters and promotional updates to people who choose to receive them. You can unsubscribe using the link in a message or by contacting us. Receiving essential messages about your enquiry, device or donation does not require a newsletter subscription.

We do not treat an application, feedback or a donation alone as newsletter consent. Newsletter signup is separate and optional. If you choose public donor recognition, we explain which information will be displayed before you make that choice. Contact us if you want to change your preference or request removal of information from a donor display we control.

11 Access correction and withdrawal

Contact us below for access to your information, corrections, consent withdrawal or deletion requests. Please identify the information and help needed. We may verify your identity or a representative’s authority before acting.

We consider requests under the law that applies to the information and respond within any required period. Any fee for providing access will be explained in advance and charged only where the law permits. We do not charge for making an access request or requesting a correction.

If we cannot provide access, make a requested correction or delete information, we explain the reason and available complaint options, subject to any lawful restriction. Where required by law, you may ask for a statement of your requested correction to be associated with the record.

Consent withdrawal does not undo earlier lawful use or remove records we must retain. We explain any effect on requested support. Withdrawing publicity or newsletter permission does not affect eligibility for a free device.

12 Privacy concerns and complaints

Please contact us if you are concerned about how we have handled information. Explain the issue and, if possible, the outcome you are seeking. We will acknowledge the concern, investigate, ask for any information reasonably needed, and explain our response and next steps.

If the matter is not resolved, or you need information about external complaint options, you can contact:

• The Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner for health-information privacy matters under Victoria’s Health Records Act.
• The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner for matters within its jurisdiction under the Australian Privacy Act. Its guidance explains when to complain to us first and how to lodge a complaint.

This policy does not limit your other rights or complaint options.

13 Changes and contact details

We update this policy and its effective date when our privacy practices change. Updates do not, by themselves, give consent for new uses of existing information. We provide further notice or seek fresh permission where required.

Contact us about privacy:

Free 3D Hands Ltd

Email: info@free3dhands.org

Street and postal address: 3/32 Boys Home Rd, Newhaven VIC 3925, Australia

Website: Contact Us